Part 25 (1/2)
Chapter 23
Patriotism of Mrs Jenkins -- colonel Watson, colonel Doyle, and the tories, in to desert hiues the troops -- they repeat their assurances of patriotisain upon the eneins to look up again
It was not for the British and Marion to lie long at rest in the sahborhood After a short repose, Colonel Watson, with a stout force of regulars and tories, made an inroad upon Pedee; which was no sooner known in our camp, than Marion pushed after him
We presently struck their trail; and after a handsome day's run, pitched our tents near the house of the excellentJenkins, and on the very spot which the British had left in the
Colonel Watson, it seeht in her house; and learning that she had three sons with Marion, all active young men, he sent for her after supper, and desired her to sit down and take a glass of ith hiood old lady of taste andupon the colonel, and taking a chair which he handed her, she sat down and elass to his health He then co conversation with her:
”So, eneral Marion's camp; I hope it is not true”
She said it was very true, and was only sorry that it was not a thousand times truer
”A thousand tireat surprise, ”pray what can be yourin that?”
”Why, sir, I am only sorry that in place of three, I have not three thousand sons with general Marion”
”Aye indeed! well then,your pardon, you had better send for them immediately to come in and join his majesty's troops under ainst their king, should they be taken they will be hung as sure as ever they were born”
”Why, sir,” said the old lady, ”you are very considerate of my sons; for which at any rate I thank you But, as you have beggedyours for not taking it
My sons, sir, are of age, andin a state of rebellion against their king, I must take the liberty, sir, to deny that”
”What, ?
shooting at and killing his majesty's subjects like wolves!
don't you call that rebellion against their king,their duty, as God and nature commanded them, sir”
”The d---l they are, madam!”
”Yes, sir,” continued she, ”and what you and every , were he to dare to tax you contrary to your own consent and the constitution of the realainst ainstCharles the First did”
Colonel Watson could hardly keep his chair under the s it would never do for a British colonel to be rude to a lady, he filled her glass, and saying, ”he'd be d--n-d if she were not a very plain-spoken woman at any rate,” insisted she would drink a toast with him for all
She replied she had no objection
Then filling the glasses round, he looked at her with a constrained se the Third”
”With all race
After a decent interval of sprightly conversation, he called on thefor a toast; who very ston!” At which he darkened a little, but drank it off with an officer-like politeness
The nextwith iive Watson another race, we drove on Jehu-like
We encaht of the enemy's fires: but found theood look out, and learning nextparty were out, Marion detached my brother colonel Horry, with some choice cavaliers, to attack them; which he did with such spirit, that at the first onset he killed nine, and ues were so overloaded with plunder, that for their lives they could not regain their caed This brilliant stroke of my brother, threw the eneoons were quicklyout to rescue their coht theth at this time was far inferior to that of the ene that, besides this heavy force under Watson, there was another from Camden under colonel Doyle, and also of ainst us, our an to desert, and those who stayed behind looked very serious, and talked as if certain ruin both to theht in so hopeless a cause
In answer to these desponding gentlerieved too, to hear theentlemen, are to be sure dark, very dark; yet thank God, they are not desperate We have often before now seen as heavy clouds hanging over us; and yet with heaven's blessing on our arolden days restored